Daily dose of celebrity

NEW YORK (AP) – Britney Spears went from Curious to Fantasy, and now she’s In Control.

Those are the names of the pop star’s fragrances with Elizabeth Arden. The company says more than 10 million bottles of the three scents have been sold since the launch of Curious in September 2004.

The names are not a coincidence. “As I get older, the names go with my age,” said Spears, 24. She made a press appearance Monday to celebrate her two-year collaboration with the beauty company.

In Control is her favorite, Spears said, and not just because it’s the newest one. “It’s more demanding, it’s more sensual, it’s black, it’s about being in control. That’s cool and inspirational … girls need that.”

Spears, dressed in an oversized eyelet dress in navy with chunky high-heel Christian Louboutin sandals, told the AP she’s involved in the entire development process of the perfumes, from the design of the bottle to the almost unlimited choice of fragrance notes.

In Control is supposed to be “both sweet and sexy,” with notes of loquat fruit, midnight orchid, creme brulee, black vanilla bean, sugared sandalwood and musk.

Spears, who is reportedly pregnant with her second child, said its scent conjures up happy memories of babies, probably because she was in the midst of testing it when her son, Sean, was born last September. She refused to answer any personal questions during the interview.

Do any smells turn her off?

“Everything right now. I’m always saying, “What is that smell?’ Cigarette smoke – I can’t deal with that. And that smell of a Dumpster on the street,” she said.

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On the Net:

http://www.britneyspearsbeauty.com

http://www.britneyspears.com/

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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) – The state’s highest court has declined to hear Sean “Diddy” Combs’ appeal of a lower court decision ordering him to pay more than $19,000 a month in child support payments.

The hip-hop mogul was ordered last year to pay ex-girlfriend Misa Hylton-Brim for the care of their 12-year-old son Justin.

The order issued by the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division in 2005 came after Combs appealed a Westchester Family Court ruling that he should pay $35,000 a month.

Hylton-Brim had sued for higher monthly payments and about $398,000 in back support.

The appellate court judge awarded a lower, undisclosed amount in back support and ordered Combs to pay Hylton-Brim’s legal fees. The judge initially set monthly support payments at $21,782, but later reduced the amount.

“We’re pleased the original order was reduced but we thought there were issues applicable for the Court of Appeals to entertain,” said Combs’ attorney, Stephen Gassman, on Tuesday.

In 1996, Combs was initially ordered to pay $2,795 a month in child support, according to court documents.

Combs, 36, also pays child support to model Kim Porter for their son, Christian.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) – “American Idol” has more than 30 million fans across the country each week – and Grammy winner Tim McGraw is one of them.

Asked during a recent interview if he watched the popular Fox talent competition, McGraw said, “I do. The kids love it.” McGraw and his wife, fellow Grammy winner Faith Hill, have three daughters.

“I would have never gotten past the audition stage,” the 39-year-old country star said, referring to the elimination rounds during the talent search for the show.

He has a favorite this season, too. “I like the gray-haired guy. Taylor Hicks. I think he’s real,” McGraw said.

Hicks is one of four contestants remaining in the “American Idol” competition.

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On the Net:

http://www.americanidol.com/

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ROME (AP) – Paula Wagner, longtime producing partner of Tom Cruise, will head one of the juries at the Venice Film Festival this summer, organizers said Tuesday.

The festival runs from Aug. 30 to Sept. 9 in the lagoon city.

Wagner will head an international jury to award a prize for best first work, the organizers said.

Cruise/Wagner Productions produced the actor’s latest movie, “Mission: Impossible III,” the third installment in the action-adventure series, which is a remake of the popular 1960s TV series. The company also produced the first two films in the series.

Venable LLP, the law firm representing Woods, issued a statement Monday saying the golfer had settled for an undisclosed amount with the builder of “Privacy,” Vancouver, Wash.-based Christensen Shipyards Ltd.

Woods claimed in the lawsuit filed in 2004 that the company had breached its contract by using his name and photos of him and the 155-foot yacht as promotional materials without authorization.

“We made a mistake and truly regret the company’s conduct,” said Christensen President Joe Foggia in a statement released by Woods’ law firm.

Although the settlement amount was officially kept secret, Christensen’s insurance company, St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Co., said in a related court action that the amount was $1.6 million.

In a lawsuit filed last week in Miami federal court, St. Paul asked a judge to order Christensen to pay the entire amount or to limit St. Paul’s share to a $1 million cap cited in its policy with the shipbuilder. No hearing has been scheduled in that case.

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ST. PAUL. Minn. (AP) – Fans who bought tickets from an online broker for June 26-27 concerts by Tom Petty with Pearl Jam at Xcel Energy Center may find themselves without seats.

Petty’s management and Ticketmaster have canceled about 460 seats that had been set aside for fan club members but showed up on the Internet being resold at a higher price.

Petty’s manager says the tickets will be offered once again to fan club members under more strict guidelines. Those who buy the tickets will have to show a photo ID to pick up the tickets on the night of the concert.

Some scalpers apparently joined Petty’s fan club to buy tickets and resell them at a higher price. That practice violates the club’s terms and Minnesota law.

“We don’t claim to have completely eliminated all reselling activity on these or any other shows,” manager Tony Dimitriades said in a statement on Petty’s Web site. “But this is definitely a step in the right direction and a major strike on behalf of the good guys.”

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